Charlie Dalin: "I feel like I'm stronger this time"

What is different compared to the previous one is that I have already participated in the race, I know what to expect and what the difficulties can be like. I have been waiting for this Vendée Globe for a long time, really since January 28, 2021, the day after my finish. With the whole team, we have been working for a long time now. I am happy knowing the start is just round the corner.

Before the last race I had never spent more than 20 days on a boat and I had never sailed in the Southern Ocean. It was all a discovery even if I had asked Armel Le Cléac'h, Michel Desjoyeaux, Francois Gabart for advice, any experience was second hand. What surprised me the most was the impact on the mental level, the fatigue, the fact of being so much more easily on edge. But it is useful to know this and to integrate the importance of personal management and rhythm. It is as if I had only done a 10 km race and suddenly I was participating in a marathon. Obviously, we have a better idea of what awaits us when it comes to this second race.

I still believe what I said at the finish. First there was the euphoria of finding my son, my wife, my team in Les Sables d'Olonne. It's no small feat to complete the Vendée Globe, it's incredible. When everything fell into place as it did, of course it wasn't easy. I didn't come so very close to victory, I was still missing 2 hours and 30 minutes so obviously. I did wake up at night thinking of these minutes that I missed in this sail change, this maneuver, this choice I had made. My story with the Vendée Globe is not over, it was so important to come back.

Yes, of course. During the last edition, because of Covid-19, we only had the Vendée-Arctique. In fact the Vendée Globe was only my second solo race in an IMOCA! Since then, I’ve been able to take part in a lot of races, which has allowed me to progress in many aspects. But unfortunately for me and fortunately for the outside world, I’m not the only one to have progressed!

Apivia was a very good boat but it had a few weak points, particularly when sailing downwind, in rough seas and also in terms of ergonomics. With Macif Santé Prévoyance, we’ve progressed in all conditions. My cockpit is also much more compact, which allows me to do many tasks without moving. The ergonomics have been improved, the ventilation system inside too, there is much less water on the deck. And in terms of comfort, I have a custom-made seat with shock absorber and safety belt which is a change from the beanbag I had four years ago.

It will really depend on the weather we encounter. The aim of the game is mainly to finish before the others. But the latest generation boats are capable of getting around in 70 days and maybe less if conditions allow.

Following the bump to me head in The Ocean Race, I will wear a hard helmet (and no longer a rugby helmet) and the fact that I have reduced the size of the cockpit limits the distance if I fall. Regarding last winter, it was complicated because I was not qualified before The Transat CIC at the start of the season. The fact of having got to the finish (4th) freed me up for the New York Vendée – Les Sables d’Olonne (1st). I think we have made up for it in terms of reliability. The team worked hard, especially last winter and summer, and it paid off.

Having been deprived of racing at the end of the season increased my desire to get back on the boat, the competition, my team, my competitors. I wanted to make the most of it and have a lot of fun on the water, probably even more so than before. And it's in this frame of mind that I'm thinking about this Vendée Globe.

Yes, absolutely. This summer, I went away for 18 days, especially to Greece, and I've never been away for so long in my professional life! I was able to fully recover: it’s as if I had the impression of starting a new season, without the fatigue of the two transatlantic races in the middle of the year. I feel that I am fresher, that I have recovered well and that I am really ready for the Vendée Globe.

Yes, I have that impression. But I’m not the only one! On the other hand, it’s true that I feel more ready, I feel ready to give it my all!”